In his fourth year as Oklahoma’s director of basketball operations, Mike Shepherd worked the previous seven seasons at UNLV in the same capacity under OU head coach Lon Kruger.

Shepherd went to Las Vegas in the spring of 2004 from Northern Illinois University where he spent three years as an assistant coach. Prior to joining NIU, he was a scout for Kruger’s Atlanta Hawks.

Shepherd was a student manager at Kansas State University when Kruger was the head coach, and started his coaching career in 1990 as a volunteer assistant at the University of Florida, also under Kruger. He spent a total of six seasons in Gainesville as a volunteer and an assistant coach. His time at Florida was highlighted by a 1993-94 season that saw the Gators go 29-8 and advance to the Final Four. That team also captured the Southeastern Conference East Division title.

In the spring of 1996, Shepherd followed Kruger to the University of Illinois where he served as an assistant coach. Illinois produced 22-10 and 23-10 seasons, won berths in the NCAA Tournament and finished in the Associated Press Top 25 in 1996-97 and 1997-98 at No. 19 and No. 22, respectively. The Illini were also crowned Big Ten champions in 1998 with Shepherd on the bench.

At Illinois, his responsibilities included on-the-floor coaching, scouting, recruiting and administering the Fighting Illini summer basketball camps. At Florida, in addition to the same duties he held at Illinois, Shepherd coordinated video operations for games, practice and scouting.

The Shepherd File

Hometown

Burlingame, Kan.

College

Kansas State, 1992

Family

wife, Allison daughter, Molly son, Clayton

Professional History

2011-present, OU Director of Operations

2004-2011, UNLV Director of Operations

2001-2004, Northern Illinois Assistant Coach

2000-2001, Atlanta Hawks Scout

1999-2000, Tulsa Women's Assistant Coach

1996-1999, Illinois Assistant Coach

1994-1996, Florida Assistant Coach

1992-1994, Florida Administrative Assistant

1992-1994, Florida Volunteer Assistant

In 1999-00, Shepherd joined the University of Tulsa women’s basketball program. The program had a tremendous turnaround while Shepherd was there as it recorded the second most wins in school history, going 14-15.

A native of Burlingame, Kan., Shepherd, 48, won varsity letters in three sports at Burlingame High School. He lettered in football, basketball and track. He attended Allen County Community College in Iola, Kan., and received a bachelor of science degree in social sciences from Kansas State in 1992.

Shepherd is married to the former Allison Wade and the couple has a daughter, Molly, 7, and a son, Clayton, 4.

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